"Joshua, my request isn''t too demanding. That shouldn''t be too hard for you, right?" "Neville," Joshua said, "has anyone ever told you that you''re really annoying?"


    Neville''s voice waszy. "No. Everyone thinks I''m a good guy, especially Star. Although Star and I haven''t be a couple yet, if guys like you and Foreman would stop working behind the scenes, I''d say I''d have a pretty good shot."


    Joshua was silent for a few seconds before walking away.


    After Joshua left, Abby, who had been hiding in the next room, quietly emerged.


    "Is Joshua gone?"


    Neville nodded. "Yeah, he''s gone."


    Abby looked a little embarrassed. "Mr. Connolly, thank you for tonight."


    Keen was just a child, and one who wasn''t used to lying. No matter how oblivious Abby could be, she had noticed something was off with him.


    "I thought Foreman was putting Keen up to this," Abby said. "I never expected it would be Joshua."


    Abby had already made up her mind. If the person sneaking in to see Ste had been Foreman, she wouldn''t have minded teaming up with Neville to teach him a lesson he''d never forget. That''ll teach him to corrupt a child.


    She even had a bat ready, but then she saw it was Joshua.


    Of course, if it hadn''t been Joshua, he never would have gotten into Ste''s room in the first ce.


    Neville nced at her. "You all seem weirdly soft on Joshua. If Foreman had shown up today, you probably would have bashed his head in."


    Abby coughed awkwardly. "Well... Joshua may have hidden things, but he never lied. Besides, Foreman''s backstabbing was despicable."


    Neville was speechless for a moment before saying, "Abby, you''re looking at him through rose-colored sses. When ites to schemes and shamelessness, Foreman is just a rookiepared to him."


    Abby couldn''t really argue with Neville, so she changed the subject.


    "Mr. Connolly, you were intentionally saying those things to Joshua just now, weren''t you? Thank you."


    "Not entirely," Neville replied. "Those were my true feelings. I don''t want him suddenly showing up to ruin things when Star and I get together."


    At this, Neville''s expression soured with a mix of disgust, mockery, and resignation.


    "The Gardners are obsessive to the point of madness. He won''t give up easily. Don''t let what he says fool you. Only he knows what he''s really thinking I''m afraid star will be the one to suffer then." ''


    Abby nced in the direction Joshua had left and whispered, "Is it really that dramatic? Joshua seems perfectly normal to me. He''s never done anything inappropriate toward Star Star is a very perceptive person; she would notice if he crossed a line."


    "The reason my sister fell for Quincy Gardner was because he was so good at pretending," Neville said tly. "The Gardners are masters of disguise. The only reason Joshua seems normal to you is because he can still control his emotions. Once you push him over the edge, he might just do what Quincy did and kidnap someone to lock them away."


    Neville shook his head.


    "With his intelligence and skills, if he wanted to do something like that, no one could


    stop him. No one would even know how Star was taken."


    Abby''s face paled. "Joshua... wouldn''t do that to Star, would he?"


    "Who can say for sure?" Neville replied.


    ***


    When Joshua walked out of the hospital, the sky had already lit up.


    Suddenly, a figure blocked his path.